For this edition of Parents Who Protect, we’re featuring an interview between Mike LaForgia, meningitis survivor and vaccination advocate,and his friend Ben Diamond. Since surviving the disease more than 15 years ago, Mike has spoken to state legislatures, media organizations and parent groups about the importance of vaccination and meningitis prevention. Mike, a double-amputee, is a long-time runner who has not let meningitis stop him – He is a multi-year finisher of the New York City Marathon and continues to race in his spare time.

Mike LaForgia: Do you remember how we first got connected?

Ben Diamond: Oh yes. That was back about eight years ago when my wife Sara and I joined a running group that some friends of ours started in the neighborhood. Lori, one of the women in that group, sat next to you back when you worked at Chase in New York. I remember one day she told us she had recruited a guy from her office who was interested in running with us.

ML: Had you ever encountered meningitis before meeting me?

BD: Unfortunately, I had. There was a string of cases on Long Island in the late 1980s and the sister of one of my good friends from high school ended up passing away from the disease. Separately, about 15 years ago, the mother of another friend contracted bacterial meningitis. Vaccines weren’t as widely available, and most people weren’t aware a vaccine even existed, but I’m so glad that’s changed.

ML: When did you learn about my experience with meningitis?

BD: Lori had told us a little bit about your battle with meningitis before we first met, and she shared how it had affected you. She told us that you were a double-amputee and that you were still a runner, which so impressed me.

On our first run together, you told me your family didn’t know what it was when you first got symptoms, thought it was the flu, and how you all rushed back from vacation and straight to the hospital. And then of course I heard you tell the story many times after that! It wasn’t long before I learned about all the advocacy work you do – as a National Meningitis Association advocate, speaking to PTA groups and in schools about the importance of vaccination for those at greatest risk, meeting with parents and survivors. For as long as I’ve known you, it’s always been clear that meningitis advocacy is such an important part of your life.

ML: You ran over 1,000 miles in 2018 and ended up raising over $2,000 for the National Meningitis Association. What made you decide to do that?

BD: I’ve always been a goal-oriented person. I surpassed my goal of running 1,000 miles in 2017, but for 2018 I wanted to build on that. To be honest, I really miss you since you’ve moved from New York to Texas and running to raise money for the group that you’re so passionate about seemed like a cool idea. The part that was most surprising to me – in a good way – was how much support I got. A lot of people get nervous about asking others for money, but I just put it out there on Facebook and was overwhelmed by the number of messages and comments from people who wanted to help. It was also extra motivation for me because I’d look pretty silly if I’d declared this goal so publicly and then didn’t stick to it.

Mike LaForgia

ML: What was it like once you started running this year?

BD: It was such a motivation to know that each time I ran meant a few more dollars for the NMA. A bunch of my friends and family chose to sponsor around 10 cents per mile, so if I went out and did a four-mile run on a Saturday morning that could be seven or 10 dollars right there. The beauty of this plan was every mile increased the donation to the NMA and led to direct improvement in vaccination awareness. As you said yourself, every mile meant a greater and greater chance I and all those that supported me saved lives. I sent out at email at the end of the year with how much I’d run, and people emailed me back a few days later to say they’d made their donation through the NMA website.

ML: Beyond money, what do you hope can come from your NMA running campaign?

BD: Really, I just want to reach as many audiences as possible and spread awareness about meningitis prevention. Whether that’s people in my community, Facebook friends from school or healthcare providers, I hope that my advocacy can draw attention to meningitis and encourage more people to make sure their loved ones are protected against this devastating disease. I see everything that you’ve gone through – You have such a positive attitude, but no one should have to overcome the challenges that you and your family have.

Mike and Ben at the finish line at the New York City Marathon, 2013

ML: Have your kids received all of their vaccinations?

BD: My wife and I are vigilant about making sure our kids get all of their vaccinations. The older ones are in their 20s and have already received their meningitis vaccines, but the youngest is 15 so he’s gotten the first dose of the MenACWY vaccine and will be getting the second dose – as well as both doses of the MenB vaccine – once he turns 16.

ML: Think you’ll ever come down for a run in Texas?

BD: Oh yeah, we have to get that set up! We’ve done literally hundreds of runs together and I continue to be so inspired by you each time we’re out there. I’ll never forget running the New York City Marathon with you in 2013. You inspired the crowd for the entire 26.2 miles and I was so proud to run next you. I get that same feeling every time we run together.

Click here to learn more about Mike’s story and click here to make a donation to NMA

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). The week of August 19th through the 25th is specifically devoted to raising awareness about the importance of preteen and teen vaccinations. The CDC recommends several vaccines during adolescence and I support all of them – but my focus here is meningococcal prevention.

The CDC recommends vaccination against this disease with the MenACWY vaccine for all children at age 11-12, with a second dose at age 16. The CDC also recommends that healthcare professionals discuss meningitis B vaccine with their 16-year-old patients and their parents. The MenB vaccine, which protects against the B strain of the disease, was not available in 2003, when my son was attacked by this dreadful disease. As a way to mark NIAM and more specifically, Preteen and Teen Vaccination Week, I wanted to tell Carl’s story again.

Though it’s been 15 years since Carl was stricken, the memories of those days and weeks live with us still. For those of you who are not familiar with meningococcal disease, also known as bacterial meningitis, it presents with symptoms that mimic flu.

That is exactly what we thought Carl had come down with 15 years ago. His vomiting, lethargy, body ache, and fever were all symptoms associated with flu. When the distinctive purple rash appeared, we knew it was something different and immediately took him to his doctor.

Tragically, meningitis victims are sometimes misdiagnosed, and death can occur in 24 hours if they don’t receive treatment. Carl’s doctor recognized the rash and immediately called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. By this time, about 18 hours had elapsed since he’d begun vomiting. His organs were shutting down and he was airlifted to Seattle Children’s Hospital. My husband, Curt and I followed in our car. When we arrived, we were met by a hospital social worker who had been called in to help us prepare for Carl’s death.

Carl’s heart stopped three times while he was in the helicopter on the way to Seattle. It stopped again the next morning. But each time, he was revived. He beat the odds and did not die.

We spent the next six months at Children’s Hospital and at Harborview Medical Center. Carl underwent 11 surgeries – including the amputation of both his legs below the knee and three of his fingers. The skin on his arms and legs was destroyed and multiple skin grafting operations were also required.

While we were spending all our time in the hospital, we were inundated with support from our Washington State community.

There were fundraisers to help with the bills, cards, letters and visits to bolster our spirits. Cookies, smoked salmon, and even homemade soup were delivered to the hospital – and the medical staff loved us.

We will never forget the generosity and love given to us during that difficult time and we have hundreds of stories about the kindnesses of friends and strangers alike.

Because Carl was in a wheelchair then, our Victorian home that Curt had restored years earlier was not accessible or adaptable to wheelchair life. We were forced to sell it, and Curt found our new home just days before we were to come home with Carl.

When he was finally able to return to school, it was a slow adjustment for Carl – he took just one class per day at first. His teachers continued to visit him at home, as they had visited him in the hospital. Despite losing so many months of school, he caught up with his class.

Over his high school years, Carl endured more surgeries, rehabilitation, and healing – and he also learned how to use his prosthetic legs.

No one was prouder of him than the staff, students, and families of La Conner High when he walked across the stage as co-valedictorian on graduation night.

Carl went on to attend and graduate from Gonzaga University. He is currently employed as a civil engineer and married to Anna Sullivan, whom he met his first day at Gonzaga. We are so lucky that he survived and thrived, but it could easily have gone the other way. Before this happened to us, I could never have imagined anything so frightening.

Now I am a prevention advocate and serve on the Board of the National Meningitis Association. I encourage everyone to make sure to stay up-to-date with all of their vaccines and make sure that their pre-teen and older adolescent children get all their doses of both types of meningococcal vaccines so that other families don’t have to endure what we went through.

]]>https://parentswhoprotect.com/2018/08/15/finding-the-blessings-in-a-parents-nightmare/feed/0parentswhoprotectLori and CarlThis March Madness – Take Both Shotshttps://parentswhoprotect.com/2017/03/17/this-march-madness-take-both-shots/
https://parentswhoprotect.com/2017/03/17/this-march-madness-take-both-shots/#respondFri, 17 Mar 2017 09:30:13 +0000http://parentswhoprotect.com/?p=762Each year many Americans start their spring by turning their attention to the March Madness basketball tournament. Unfortunately, for many of National Meningitis Association’s (NMA) Moms on Meningitis (M.O.M.) and Together Educating About Meningitis (T.E.A.M.) members, March is a time when we remember those we lost to meningococcal disease. In fact, while meningococcal disease can strike at any time of year, the number of cases peaks in the winter and early spring.[1]

The higher incidence of meningococcal disease in March can be seen in the headlines of the last few years. In March 2014, a Drexel University student died after visiting Princeton University, which was nearing the end of an outbreak that impacted eight students. In 2015, the University of Oregon was battling an outbreak of meningococcal disease with two additional cases appearing in March. In 2016, students at both Penn State and Rutgers University were hospitalized with meningococcal disease in March. This year there were cases on three college campuses by mid-March: Wake Forest University, Old Dominion University, and Oregon State University. There has also been an outbreak, at an elementary school in Virginia.

To rise to the challenge of this other recurring “March Madness”, we must increase our efforts to raise awareness of meningococcal disease and its prevention. There are two kinds of vaccines that students need to be protected from meningococcal disease, the MenACWY vaccine and the MenB vaccine.

It’s important that students remain vigilant and be able to recognize the symptoms of meningococcal disease including headache, fever, stiff neck, and a purplish rash, so that you can promptly seek medical attention.

This March, let’s get on the ball and take “both shots” to prevent the other March Madness.

]]>https://parentswhoprotect.com/2017/03/17/this-march-madness-take-both-shots/feed/0parentswhoprotect171_NMA_March Madness infogram_3cVoting For Vaccine Successhttps://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/11/04/voting-for-vaccine-success/
https://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/11/04/voting-for-vaccine-success/#respondFri, 04 Nov 2016 17:33:04 +0000http://parentswhoprotect.com/?p=754Earlier this year, NMA hosted its first ever panel discussion, “Achieving Childhood Vaccination Success in the US” featuring experts in health, science, law, and ethics addressing a range of topics from vaccine skeptics to physicians straying from the recommended vaccine schedules to the role of the media in shaping beliefs about vaccines – all issues that have come up several times during this election season.

Vaccination education and awareness remain central to NMA’s education and policy efforts. “As a parent whose child died from bacterial meningitis – a vaccine preventable disease – and as a grandmother of three little ones, getting kids vaccinated is an important subject for me,” said Lynn Bozof, President of NMA. “Although, at present, NMA primary focus is on adolescent vaccines, early childhood vaccines lay the framework for vaccine success throughout the lifespan, from infancy to adult immunization.”

“We think about ‘the government’ imposing [vaccine mandates] on us. [But] I’d like to suggest to everyone that the imposition of laws, the passage of these laws was the epitome of American democracy because these are not federal laws enacted by a distant congress in Washington. Each state had to enact a law that was, in effect, no shots, no school… Fifty times, this issue had to come before the American people in a governmental forum at the state level, which is close to the people, and had to be debated in each state [except Nebraska]. So, 99 times, this was debated in a body of our elected representatives and was passed 99 times and was sent then to the governors of those fifty states, who represented the entire spectrum of political thought here in the United States. And those governors all signed. If that’s not the epitome of American democracy, providing legislation for the protection of our children, I don’t know what is. So I think that’s actually a superb example of the people working for the benefit of our children.”

Science stresses the importance of vaccinating as many people as possible to protect the most vulnerable – including those too young or too old to get vaccinated themselves.

Despite the science, powerful anti-vaccine voices still hold sway in many parts of this country. As recent years, have made clear, we need to approach vaccine skepticism aggressively and tactically.

“I don’t think we’re going to win the battle against hesitators and vaccine resistors by facts. The issue becomes one of ethics and you need to have ethics in a couple ways,” said Arthur Caplan, an NYU professor of medical ethics best known for assessing moral issues connected to medical interventions and actions, including vaccination. “Vaccination is almost always about the community. It’s almost always about your neighbors, it’s almost always about protecting the vulnerable, the vulnerable kid, the vulnerable older person, the person who’s immune suppressed … but we make it out like it’s just your choice. That’s very American – we’re individualistic, we’re autonomous … and I didn’t even get to Texas yet. But you’ve gotta stress, I think, that you do this because you’re not a jerk. You don’t put kids at risk, you don’t put other people at risk, you do the right thing, I would add the facts into that ethical commentary that the right thing to do is to be a good member of your community. And you’re not if you don’t vaccinate.”

You can watch the full panel discussion below. Remember to stay informed and vote responsibly this and every election.

]]>https://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/11/04/voting-for-vaccine-success/feed/0parentswhoprotectvoting-pinI Lost My Legs to Meningitis, But You Don’t Have Tohttps://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/08/17/i-lost-my-legs-to-meningitis-but-you-dont-have-to/
https://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/08/17/i-lost-my-legs-to-meningitis-but-you-dont-have-to/#respondWed, 17 Aug 2016 21:40:59 +0000http://parentswhoprotect.com/?p=748Since March 2016, there has been an ongoing meningococcal disease outbreak in Southern California among men-who-have-sex-with-men or MSM. There have already been 24 cases and two deaths associated with this outbreak. NMA T.E.A.M. member Dell Miller, who survived meningococcal disease in 2015, shared his story with The Advocate to urge other gay and bisexual men to get vaccinated. Below is a sample of his op-ed – which can be read in full here.

Over the past six months, many gay and bisexual men throughout Southern California have heard about “meningococcal disease,” also known as meningitis, for what may be the first time in their lives. They’ve seen billboards urging them to get vaccinated or even heard about some or all of the22 cases that have occurred since March. Sadly, some of those 22 patients may have found out about this disease the same way I did: when they were diagnosed and fighting for their lives in a hospital bed.

I am an HIV-positive gay man and survivor of bacterial meningitis, so I know firsthand how important it is that other gay and bisexual men take every step to protect themselves and their loved ones from this devastating disease, which can be spread through close contact — coughing or kissing — or lengthy contact, especially among people living in the same household.

On January 25, 2015, I was enjoying a warm Southern California day at the beach with my partner, Sam, and our French bulldog, Charlotte. I remember calling my mom to (lightly) boast about how good it felt to be in shorts in the middle of winter while she was home in our native Washington State, keeping a fire going and a snow shovel handy. When we finished our call, I looked at my feet and wiggled my toes in the sand for what I didn’t know would be the last time.

As I sat up, I began to feel ill. At first, I thought it was the flu or maybe even something I had eaten earlier. My partner and I went home so I could get some rest. Even though I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker, it wasn’t until I noticed a dime-size purplish spot on my leg that I began to think this wasn’t ordinary flu.

Sam rushed me to the hospital, and in the waiting room, I watched as more and more purple rash spots appeared on my skin right before my eyes. I showed the receptionist my new breakouts, and I was taken to see the doctors. They immediately hooked me up to multiple IVs and told me I’d have to stay in the hospital for a while. Soon afterward, I was diagnosed with meningococcal disease.

To read more visit: http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2016/8/12/i-lost-my-legs-meningitis-you-dont-have

On May 9, 2016 we gathered NMA families, supporters and immunization advocates in New York City for NMA’s eight annual “Give Kids A Shot!” gala to honor the memories of those we’ve lost to meningococcal disease, as well as the families and survivors who have been affected by this potentially preventable disease.

At the same time, we celebrated the advances we have made in increasing awareness about meningococcal disease and its prevention. These strides would not have been possible without the work of many, including our extraordinary honorees:

Dr. Lee has made tremendous contributions to help NMA advance its mission. As a practicing physician, currently at Winthrop-University Hospital, he has seen first-hand the devastating impact of meningococcal disease on young people and their families.

At the Gala he discussed how he came to understand the devastating impact of meningococcal disease and the importance of vaccination.

This year, NMA recognized two T.E.A.M. members with the outstanding service award, each with their own unique story and contributions towards NMA’s mission.

Carl Buher contracted serogroup B meningococcal disease as a 14-year-old freshmen in high school. While it was four years before he could walk again, nothing could stop Carl from making the best of the situation. Carl recently testified in support of broad national recommendations for the serogroup B vaccine and participated in a number of media interviews to educate the public. At the Gala he reflected on the platform that NMA has given him to make a difference. “[NMA] gave me a platform on which to stand and speak out for vaccination and prevention, and has enabled me to make that platform as broad as I can imagine.”

Mike LaForgia was diagnosed with meningococcal disease in 2005 and lost his left foot and right leg below his knee. He never thought he’d run again. But, Mike ran the New York City marathon twice as a double amputee. These races have served as an opportunity to educate others about meningococcal disease and raise funds to support NMA’s mission. During the Gala, Mike described these races: “While I run, I carry those lost to the disease with me and as I pass others, I want them to know this disease is real.” For more than a decade, Mike has shared his story regularly as an inspirational speaker to both encourage those who have faced obstacles like his, and to raise awareness of meningitis and its prevention. As a father, he made sure all his three children were vaccinated and encourages others to make sure their children are fully vaccinated.

Deion Branch is former New England Patriots wide receiver, a two-time Super Bowl champion and a Super Bowl MVP. At 21 years old, Mr. Branch became a father to twin boys, Deiondre and Deiontey. When Deiondre was one month old, he contracted viral meningitis. The doctors gave him only six months to live, but he survived. In 2004, Deion founded the Deion Branch Foundation to raise awareness about meningitis. Each year, the Foundation coordinates a fundraising team to participate in the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon to support organizations including NMA. At the Gala, he expressed gratitude for the mission of NMA and committed to continue the fight to raise awareness.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this night possible and those who have supported and continue to support our work!

]]>https://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/06/08/give-kids-a-shot/feed/0parentswhoprotectOffitLee.jpgoutstanding team.jpgDeion.jpgend.jpgMake the right thing to do, the easy thing to dohttps://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/02/26/make-the-right-thing-to-do-the-easy-thing-to-do/
https://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/02/26/make-the-right-thing-to-do-the-easy-thing-to-do/#respondFri, 26 Feb 2016 19:26:46 +0000http://parentswhoprotect.com/?p=700The following is adapted from NMA President Lynn Bozof’s testimony at the February 2016 ACIP meeting.

I didn’t originally plan to speak at this week’s meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP). There were no votes scheduled about meningococcal vaccines, and by now most members know my story of losing my son, Evan, to meningococcal disease when he was a junior in college.

However, I have received so many e-mails and phone calls about the difficulty of getting serogroup B vaccines that I felt I had to say something. Especially with the recent serogroup B outbreak at Santa Clara University and case at Yale University.

When the ACIP voted to permissively recommend serogroup B meningococcal vaccination for teens and young adults last year, it seemed like a great start. We thought people who wanted to fully protect their children against all meningococcal strains would simply have to tell their healthcare provider that it was important to them to get the vaccine.

In reality, that’s not the case. I hear from parents on a daily basis that their children’s doctors are unaware of the two different types of vaccines, and even fewer stock the B vaccine, nor do they know where to tell people to get it.

Last week, a parent whose son contracted serogroup B meningitis told me she and her husband had to make a dozen calls to find a healthcare professional to vaccinate their other son against B. One of NMA’s survivors who contracted the disease while in college went to five different places before she was able to get the B vaccine. They were determined. But, at that point, most people would have given up.

Parents want to send their kids off to college fully vaccinated. Making this happen should be an easy, no-brainer. It’s not. When we have someone who wants to be vaccinated, yet can’t find the vaccine, that’s a bad situation. When you have a doctor or nurse who doesn’t know how to deal with a vaccine request, that’s a bad situation. We need to change this.

NMA urges healthcare providers to either stock serogroup B meningococcal vaccine or to learn where to refer patients who want it. We encourage parents who want to fully vaccinate their children not to give up when trying to locate the vaccines. And finally, we hope the ACIP will review the current recommendations for serogroup B, so that the right thing to do – protecting our children—will be the easy thing to do.

]]>https://parentswhoprotect.com/2016/02/26/make-the-right-thing-to-do-the-easy-thing-to-do/feed/0parentswhoprotectLynn Bozof HeadshotProtect Your Family from the Fluhttps://parentswhoprotect.com/2015/12/10/protect-your-family-from-the-flu/
https://parentswhoprotect.com/2015/12/10/protect-your-family-from-the-flu/#respondThu, 10 Dec 2015 22:13:38 +0000http://parentswhoprotect.com/?p=676This National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 6-12), we want to remind all parents to make sure their family members – everyone 6 months and up – get their flu vaccine.

As an organization comprised of meningitis survivors and families who have lost loved ones to a vaccine-preventable disease, we know how important prevention is.

Although most people who get the flu will recover in less than two weeks, some may develop life-threatening complications. Each year, 5 to 20 percent of people in the U.S. get the flu. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 to 49,000 deaths occur. Last year alone, there were 147 pediatric deaths associated with the flu.

Families Fighting Flu is an advocacy organization dedicated to raising awareness about the seriousness of flu and the importance of vaccination. The organization includes families whose children have suffered serious medical complications or died from influenza.

This NIVW, we want to share the perspectives of these families with you:

On October 23, 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved and published the recommendation for permissive use of serogroup B meningococcal vaccine for adolescents at age 16-23, with a preferred age of 16-18. This made the recommendation official.

The meningococcal vaccine for A, C, W and Y is recommended at age 11-12 with a booster at 16 and is part of the routine vaccination schedule. The B vaccine is recommended permissively, meaning that parents have a larger responsibility to seek and request the vaccine. That’s why it’s so important for parents to speak with their child’s healthcare provider to make sure their child is fully vaccinated against the disease.

To make the vaccination process clearer and easier for everyone who wants to be fully protected, especially given this new recommendation, we have answered some common questions about meningococcal vaccination below.

Q: Can my teen receive the serogroup B vaccine during the same visit as the A, C, W and Y vaccine?

A: Yes, your teen can be vaccinated against serogroup B during the same visit as the quadrivalent vaccine, preferably in different arms. Fortunately teens can receive the quadrivalent vaccine and start the serogroup B series of shots at one visit at the age of 16. The serogroup B vaccines require either two or three doses.

Q: What can I do if my doctor doesn’t stock the serogroup B vaccine?

A: Because the serogroup B vaccine is still very new, some doctors may not have it in their offices yet. You can ask your doctor to order the vaccine. Otherwise, college health centers, pharmacies and/or travel clinics may have it in stock. Another way to locate vaccine providers who carry serogroup B vaccines is by using the HealthMap Vaccine Finder: http://vaccine.healthmap.org/

Q: Why isn’t the serogroup B vaccine recommended the same way the quadrivalent vaccine is?

A: Serogroup B meningococcal disease is very rare, and because the vaccines are new, we don’t know exactly how long their protection will last or if they will protect against every case of serogroup B disease. That being said, it is possible that the CDC will reconsider a routine recommendation in the future. NMA will continue to advocate for broader recommendation for the serogroup B vaccine.

Q: Does insurance cover the serogroup B vaccine?

A: Health plans will be required to cover serogroup B meningococcal disease vaccines beginning October 23, 2016, but many insurers will begin covering the vaccines before that date.

Note: The Vaccines for Children program (VFC) will provide vaccines at no cost to children who might not be vaccinated due to an inability to pay. VFC will cover the cost of the serogroup B vaccine for children ages 16 through 18 years old, or who are 10 through 18 years old and are identified at being at increased risk of developing meningitis B.

]]>https://parentswhoprotect.com/2015/11/17/qa-meningitis-vaccines-for-a-c-w-y-b/feed/0parentswhoprotect70 Percent of Teens Need the Meningitis Boosterhttps://parentswhoprotect.com/2015/11/13/70-percent-of-teens-need-the-meningitis-booster/
https://parentswhoprotect.com/2015/11/13/70-percent-of-teens-need-the-meningitis-booster/#respondFri, 13 Nov 2015 20:38:19 +0000http://parentswhoprotect.com/?p=669This week, several public health and medical organizations published a call-to-action urging doctors to recommend and administer the meningococcal A, C, W and Y booster dose recommended at age 16.

The booster dose is recommended for all teens at age 16 because the protection they received from the first dose begins to wear off over time. It’s critical that kids receive the booster to protect them during the ages when they are at highest risk of meningococcal disease.

Currently, less than 30 percent of first-dose recipients have received the booster. This means that about 70 percent of teens remain unprotected. We must improve this rate, and we know a doctor’s recommendation is a key factor in making sure our children are fully protected.

NMA applauds the efforts of these organizations and reminds all healthcare professionals and parents that when teens receive the A, C, W and Y booster dose, they should also talk to their doctor about getting the serogroup B vaccine!

Below is an excerpt followed by a link to the full call-to-action letter.

Dear Colleague:

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College Health Association (ACHA), Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) urge you and your fellow healthcare professionals to strongly recommend and administer the second (booster) dose of meningococcal ACWY vaccine (MenACWY or “MCV4”) at age 16.

MCV4 was developed to prevent meningococcal disease resulting from infection with serogroups A, C, W, or Y. Meningococcal disease is devastating and debilitating, with a staggering 10–15% case fatality rate.

In May 2005, CDC’s Advisory Committee on ImmunizationPractices (ACIP) published its recommendation to vaccinate all 11–12 year olds with MCV4. In 2006, only 11.7% of adolescents 13–17 years of age had received a dose of MCV4; by 2013, 1-dose coverage in children 13 years of age had grown to an impressive 78.0%.

In January 2011, ACIP recommended that a second (booster) dose of MCV4 be given at age 16 in order to enhance protection in the period of greatest vulnerability to meningococcal disease – 16 to 21 years of age.

Unfortunately, more than four years after this recommendation was published, the 2-dose coverage rate for MCV4 in 17-year-olds is only 28.5%.By vaccinating fewer than 1 in 3 eligible teens, we are leaving millions of young adults without the protection they need.

A provider’s endorsement of vaccination has long been recognized as a key factor in improving immunization rates.

You are therefore in a perfect position to improve coverage by offering a strong, unequivocal recommendation for vaccination with a second dose of MCV4. We urge you to take advantage of opportunities to vaccinate during all patient encounters, including well visits, camp and sports physicals, visits for acute or chronic illness, and visits for other recommended immunizations. Additional ideas for improving your rates are available at www.Give2MCV4.org.